Jukeboxes have been around for decades and provide users with the ability to select desired music for reproduction in a convenient and advantageous manner. Jukeboxes conventionally have been provided in commercial establishments, such as restaurants and bars, in order to provide desired music on demand for patrons thereof for a fee. Over the last several years, a new generation of jukebox devices have become available that provide significant improvements in the operation thereof for all parties involved. More specifically, the conventional standalone phonorecord and CD jukeboxes are being replaced by digital downloading jukeboxes that are controlled by and communicate with a central server. An example of this new generation jukebox system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,204, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A leading provider of this new generation of jukebox systems is TouchTunes Music Corporation.
FIG. 1 shows an overview of an exemplary embodiment of a digital downloading jukebox system 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the jukebox system 10 includes a central server 12 that contains a master library of audio content (typically music), as well as or alternatively audiovisual content (typically music and associated video or graphics), that can be downloaded therefrom. The jukebox system also includes a series of remote jukebox devices 16, 16a-16f. Each of these jukebox devices are generally located in a bar, restaurant, club, or other desired location, and are operable to play music (e.g., from a suitable storage location such as, for example, from a local server, a central and potentially remote server, from local storage, etc.) in response to receiving a payment from a user, such as coins, bills, credit/debit card, etc., and having one or more songs selected by the user for play. In an alternative embodiment, a music service is paid for on a subscription basis by the location, and the selected music is free for the end-user. The jukebox device 16 typically includes a screen 18 that presents information to the user and allows the user to select songs therefrom, as well as an audio system 20 that plays the selected songs. The screen 18 may also be used for displaying song-related video or graphics. The screen 18 may also be used to display advertisements for the jukebox itself in order to attract customers thereto, to display other types of advertisements, and/or to display any other desired information.
The jukebox devices 16 (sometimes referred to herein as simply “jukeboxes”) are operable to communicate with the central server 12 through a communications network 14, such as, for example, the Internet. The jukeboxes 16 periodically communicate with the server 12 in order to provide information to the server 12 regarding the specific songs that have been played on the jukebox. The central server then uses this information in order to determine the appropriate royalties and/or other payments that are owed for songs played on each jukebox. Thus, one advantage of this new generation of jukeboxes is that the sound reproduction and/or other applicable music rights can be adhered to in a more accurate and reliable manner, thereby assuring the proper royalties are paid to the artists or music owners. The central server 12 can also provide new songs to the jukebox 16 in order to assure that the appropriate or most popular songs are maintained on the jukebox based on the specific customers at that location. Thus, the songs available on each jukebox can be customized through communication with the central server in order to provide the songs and/or types of music that customers generally request at each jukebox location. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,204, for example, the central server can also advantageously be used to update the operating software on the jukeboxes in order to, for instance, change the operation of the jukebox, such as to provide new or improved features. Thus, another advantage of this new generation of jukeboxes is that the songs (or other audio and/or visual content), and the operation of the jukebox itself can be remotely changed as desired without the need to have someone (such as a routeman) personally service the jukebox. Instead, such updates can be done using the central server 12.
As indicated above, the jukebox devices 16 each include a mass storage device, such as a hard drive, which stores the songs and associated video/graphics data (if any), as well as any other desired graphical information for reproduction on the jukebox. The mass storage device of the jukebox typically has limited storage capacity relative to the storage device of the central server 12. As a result, only a fraction of the songs stored on the central server are typically stored on the mass storage device of the jukebox at any one time. There may be other reasons as well, such as for security of the data or limited room in the jukebox itself, for having limited storage capacity on the jukebox and/or limiting the number of songs stored thereon. For example, physical space may be limited on wall-mount jukeboxes or the like, which are designed to be small in size as compared to free-standing models. As explained above, the songs on the jukebox can be changed through communication with the central server, but typically any one jukebox only stores a relatively small subset of the complete library of songs maintained by the central server at any one time.
In order to increase the revenue that a jukebox generates, making the most desired or popular songs available on the jukebox over time may be seen as an advantage. If customers cannot find songs they like on the jukebox, usage of the jukebox (and the revenue generated thereby) can decrease. On the other hand, it is not always possible to predict in advance exactly what a customer at any particular location will desire to play on the jukebox. In fact, there are likely many instances where a customer would have selected a song that exists on the central server but is not currently present on the jukebox. As a result, the jukebox may not be enjoyed and used to its fullest extent. In order to address this problem and increase revenue, jukebox systems have in the past provided a feature that enables the user to search for songs on the central server from the jukebox and request an immediate download of a desired song from the central server to the jukebox for an additional fee. This feature enables the user to play any song in the master library of songs maintained by the central server using the jukebox, regardless of whether or not the specific song is presently stored in the mass storage of the jukebox itself. Thus, the user can first look for desired songs on the local storage of the jukebox and then, if desired, search further on the central server for desired songs (e.g., in connection with search functionality, potentially accessible by selecting a central server search function button on the screen). The jukebox device typically charges an additional fee (such as five credits instead on one credit) for an immediate download and play of a song from the central server as opposed to a standard play directly from the jukebox's local storage.
As might be discerned from the above, the “conventional wisdom” is to attempt to maximize revenues and ensure a broad-based appeal by providing more and more media offerings or songs via a jukebox. In other words, the conventional wisdom and industry thinking is to make available as many media offerings or songs as possible via a jukebox so that the one jukebox will be appropriate for any venue. The theory is based in part on the common perception that it is easier to develop a single, standard jukebox with as many offerings as possible, than to provide multiple different jukeboxes each making available a different set of limited media content. This common understanding, in turn, may have its roots in the fact that conventional, non-digital jukeboxes clearly had severely limited repertoires and that even many early digital jukeboxes has expanded repertoires that were still limited by licensing and accounting requirements, download speeds, etc.
The assignee has recently discovered that the conventional wisdom no longer is entirely accurate and that the underlying assumptions are somewhat flawed. For example, the assignee has recently discovered that providing more and more media offerings is not necessarily desirable in all instances. This discovery is based, in part, on the assignees' recognition that providing more and more offerings means providing more and more opportunities for patrons to play music that is inconsistent with the authenticity or identity of a location. For instance, the authenticity and identity of a “biker bar” can be severely undermined if a patron were to play what could be considered pop or “teeny-bopper” music, just as a country line dancing venue might have its authenticity and identity undermined if hip hop and rhythm and blues songs were played. The assignee has from time to time experienced difficulties providing jukeboxes in locations for these vary reasons. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, the assignee's experiences provide evidence that the ability to selectively “filter” music by excluding songs, genres, and/or the like often is seen as an unacceptable, incomplete, and/or otherwise undesirable to proprietors of locations.
Apart from or in addition to the actual media being played, the assignee has also discovered that the physical appearance of the utilitarian jukebox is sometimes undesirable. Indeed, the assignee has discovered that the physical appearance of a jukebox or jukebox terminal can be undesirable simply because the device itself looks like a jukebox (e.g., has a payment acceptor, a touch screen display that selectively operates in an “attract mode,” includes flashing and/or otherwise changing neon lights, etc.). In a perhaps related matter, the assignee has discovered that the content displayed on a jukebox or jukebox terminal also may be considered undesirable. As above, the physical appearance of the jukebox device and/or content displayed on the jukebox device may threaten to undermine the authenticity or identity of a location. As a perhaps more concrete example, it has been observed by the assignee that so-called “ultralounges” typically react negatively towards the visual appearances of conventional jukeboxes. As another example, the assignee has discovered that the “wrong” types of advertisements and/or media may be displayed at a given location as, for example, ultralounges stereotypically find it more desirable and “authentic” to display attractive men and women wearing fashionable clothing and accessories as compared to album art, concert advertisements, etc.
Still another discovery that the assignee has made is that the conventional ways that people typically discover music (including songs, artists, etc.) are becoming outmoded. In addition to, or rather than, watching a music television station such as MTV or the like, listening to the radio, or paying attention to advertisements, potential patrons are discovering music in new and different ways. User interfaces that enable patrons to browse or search for music on a jukebox device typically enable browsing and/or searching based on artist name, song name, album, and/or the like. But such techniques do not necessarily result in the patron being exposed to new or different music and is still another conventional technique for music discovery. The assignee has realized that today's potential patrons oftentimes are more interested in music discovered through non-traditional social networking outlets and/or through pure “buzz” generated on the Internet or through such social networking outlets.
Given the above discoveries and realizations, it will be appreciated that further improvements to jukebox devices can be made. It also will be appreciated that some or all of such improvements are contrary to accepted wisdom and/or industry-standard practice. For instance, providing more limited media selections probably would be seen as a “step back” when viewed through the lens of conventional thinking, whereas the assignee has realized that it actually may be considered more desirable by some to provide a more limited selection when attempting to preserve the authenticity and/or identity of a location. As another example, jukebox devices conventionally have been viewed as having one of several “classic designs” and digital jukebox devices have been designed to be “updates” to such classic designs, whereas the assignee has realized that jukeboxes are perhaps not as utilitarian or ubiquitous as they have been viewed. Still further, it will be appreciated that conventional browsing and/or searching techniques may be updated and/or replaced, e.g., to reflect newer ways that potential patrons discover and experience music.
In general, certain exemplary embodiments relate to the inclusion of innovative user interfaces that help immerse the user in an interactive jukebox world where user interface elements help provide for multi-dimensional interaction with collections of instances of media, synchronized external and/or internal lightshow feedback and/or projection, play queue reveal and/or manipulation, blurring/focusing of elements, synchronized lyrics display, etc. Certain exemplary embodiments described herein also include cameras and/or LEDs that may help, for example, enable artist and/or patron likenesses to be used or incorporated into jukebox interfaces, cameras to be leveraged in attract or flight modes or to serve as mirrors, lighting elements to be used as camera flashes, LEDs to simulate tactile feedback for touch screen displays or patron welcome display messages, provide a jukebox-based security system, apply contextual ads, etc. Adaptive auto-complete search recommendations may be provided in certain exemplary embodiments, as may set lists and/or enhanced collection type browsing.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, jukebox devices with such user interfaces, and/or systems with such jukebox devices are provided. Similarly, according to certain exemplary embodiments, non-transitory computer readable storage mediums tangibly store programs that, when executed, implement the methods described herein. Methods of controlling/operating such jukeboxes, jukebox systems, etc., also are contemplated herein, as are methods of making same.
In certain exemplary embodiments, a digital jukebox device is provided. The jukebox includes a display. Processing resources of the jukebox include at least one processor and a memory, with the processing resources being configured to control the digital jukebox device to present, in connection with the display, a user interface. The user interface includes separate screens that are selectively presentable in response to user manipulations of the user interface, and the screens are divided into a set of standard interface screens and a set of simplified interface screens. The user interface is programmed to enable songs to be selected and played back at a venue on a pay-for-play basis. A first one of the standard interface screens is a home screen. The home screen includes a plurality of user-operable control elements arranged along a first axis, at least a first one of these user-operable control elements being selectable to initiate display of a search screen, at least a second one of these user-operable control elements being selectable to initiate display of a curated list of songs and/or artists via a first selection screen, and at least a third one of these user-operable control elements being selectable to initiate display of a curated list of curated lists of songs via a second selection screen; a plurality of user-selectable song objects arrangeable along a second axis, the second axis being generally perpendicular to the first axis; a plurality of user-selectable song list objects arrangeable along a third axis, the third axis being generally parallel to the second axis; and a status area extending along a peripheral edge of the home screen. The search screen, first selection screen, and second selection screen correspond to different respective standard interface screens.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the status area may include an indication of a song being currently played by the jukebox, as well as an indication of a number of credits available on or via the digital jukebox device.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the status area may be included in each screen of the user interface in a first position that is common across all of the screens.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, some or all of the standard interface screens may include the user-operable control elements of the home screen in a second position that is common across all such screens, and/or the simplified interface screens may lack the user-operable control elements of the home screen.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, at least some of the simplified interface screens may be usable in confirming song selection and credit subtraction operations just prior to enqueueing selected song(s) in a queue maintained by the digital jukebox device and from which songs are played.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, only a partial subset of the plurality of user-selectable song objects may be visible along the second axis at one time, and/or only a partial subset of the plurality of user-selectable song list objects may be visible along the third axis at one time. For instance, the partial subset of the plurality of user-selectable song objects that is visible may be changeable in dependence on a user panning operation performed with respect to the second axis, and/or the partial subset of the plurality of user-selectable song list objects that is visible may be changeable in dependence on a user panning operation performed with respect to the third axis.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the home screen may further include a listing of song objects representing songs that are popular across an entertainment network, this listing of song objects being provided along a fourth axis that is generally parallel to the second axis. For instance, the jukebox may further include a network connection over which data specifying members of the listing of song objects representing songs that are popular across the entertainment network is electronically retrievable. The fourth axis may be made visible on the home screen only if at least one of the second and third axes is made invisible (e.g., only after a user panning operation is performed along a direction generally perpendicular to the second axis).
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the home screen may further include a generally linear arrangement of icons that respectively represent user-activatable services (e.g., games, karaoke, photo booth, and/or other services) provided by the digital jukebox device, at least some of the services being not directly music related.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the first selection screen may include the plurality of user-operable control elements and the curated list of songs and/or artists; and the curated list of songs and/or artists may be displayable in the first selection screen in a user-specifiable format, with the user-specifiable format being one of a tile format and a list format. For instance, the curated list of songs and/or artists may be displayable in the first selection screen in a user-specifiable order, the user-specifiable order being one of an alphabetical order and a popularity order.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the second selection screen may include a plurality of user-selectable options that down-select the curated list of curated lists of songs in accordance with a visually cue. For instance, user-selectable options may be provided for down-selecting based on collection of promoted songs, genre, and predefined playlist.
According to certain exemplary embodiments, the second selection screen may be programmed to initiate display of a modified version of the first selection screen in response to user selection of one of curated lists of songs displayed therein, with the modified version of the first selection screen including only those song and/or artist options associated with the selected curated list.
The exemplary embodiments, aspects, and advantages disclosed herein may be provided in any suitable combination or sub-combination to achieve yet further exemplary embodiments.